WO94/20460 describes angiotensin II compounds of the following formula: wherein X can be a number of substituents and Het can be a nitrogen-containing heterobicycle. However, WO94/20460 does not suggest Factor Xa inhibition or exemplify compounds like those of the present invention.
WO96/12720 depicts phosphodiesterase type IV and TNF production inhibitors of the following formula: wherein X can be oxygen and R2 and R3 can a number of substituents including heterocycle, heterocycloalkyl, and phenyl. However, the presently claimed compounds do not correspond to the compounds of WO96/12720. Furthermore, WO96/12720 does not suggest Factor Xa inhibition.
WO98/52948 details inhibitors of ceramide-mediated signal transduction. One of the types of inhibitors described is of the following formula: wherein Y1 can be N—R6, R6 can be unsubstituted aryl-alkyl or unsubstituted heterocyclic-alkyl and R1 can be a substituted aryl group. WO98/52948 does not mention factor Xa inhibition or show compounds like those of the present invention.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,365,459, 3,340,269, and 3,423,414 illustrate anti-inflammatory inhibitors of the following formula: wherein A is 2–3 carbon atoms, X can be O, and R1 and R3 can be substituted or unsubstituted aromatic groups. Neither of these patents, however, exemplifies compounds of the present invention.
WO99/32477 reports Factor Xa inhibitors of the following formula: wherein the inhibitors contain at least three aryl or heterocyclic groups (i.e., C, B, and R3) separated by two linking groups (i.e., E and D). Compounds of this sort are not considered to be part of the present invention.
WO00/39131 describes heterobicyclic Factor Xa inhibitors of which the following is an example formula: wherein Z is C or N, G is a mono- or bicyclic group, A is a cyclic moiety and B is a basic group or a cyclic moiety. Compounds specifically described in WO00/39131 are not considered to be part of the present invention.
WO98/28269, WO98/28282, WO99/32454, U.S. Pat. No. 6,020,357, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,271,237 describe Factor Xa inhibitors of the following formula: wherein ring M is a heterocycle, Z is a linker, A is a    ring, B is a basic or cylic group, D is a basic moiety, and E is a ring. Compounds specifically described in WO98/28269, WO98/28282, WO99/32454, U.S. Pat. No. 6,020,357, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,271,237 are not considered to be part of the present invention.
WO98/57951 describes Factor Xa inhibitors of the following formula: wherein ring M can be a variety of heterocycles and rings D—E represent a heterobicyclic group. Compounds specifically described in WO98/57951 are not considered to be part of the present invention.
WO98/57934 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,060,491 describe Factor Xa inhibitors of the following formula: wherein ring M is a 6-membered heteroaryl, Z is a linker, A is a ring, B is a basic or cylic group, D is a basic moiety, and E is a ring. Compounds specifically described in WO98/57934 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,060,491 are not considered to be part of the present invention.
WO98/57937 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,998,424 describe Factor Xa inhibitors of the following formula: wherein ring M is a variety of rings, ring D is an aromatic    ring, and R and E are non-basic groups. Compounds specifically described in WO98/57937 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,998,424 are not considered to be part of the present invention.
WO99/50255 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,191,159 describe pyrazoline and triazoline Factor Xa inhibitors of the following formulas: Compounds specifically described in WO99/50255 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,191,159 are not considered to be part of the present invention.
WO0/59902 describes Factor Xa inhibitors of the following formula: wherein ring M can be a variety of rings all of which are substituted with Z—A—B, Z is a linker, A is a ring, B is a sulfonyl-containing heterobicycle, and rings D—E represent a heterobicyclic group or a 6-membered ring. Compounds specifically described in WO00/59902 are not considered to be part of the present invention.
WO01/32628 describes cyano-pyrroles, cyano-imidazoles, cyano-pyrazoles, and cyano-triazoles that are Factor Xa inhibitors. Compounds specifically described in WO01/32628 are not considered to be part of the present invention.
WO01/05784 describes Factor Xa inhibitors of the following formulas: wherein Z is C or N, G is a mono- or bicyclic ring M, A is a linker, B is a basic or cyclic group. Compounds specifically described in WO01/05784 are not considered to be part of the present invention.
WO00/39108 describes Factor Xa inhibitors of the following formula: wherein ring M can be a variety of heterocycles and rings D—E represent a heterobicyclic group. Compounds specifically described in WO00/39108 are not considered to be part of the present invention.
WO01/19798 describes factor Xa inhibitors of the following formula:A—Q—D—E—G—J—Xwherein A, D, G, and X can be phenyl or heterocycle. However, none of the presently claimed compounds are exemplified or suggested in WO01/19798.
Activated factor Xa, whose major practical role is the generation of thrombin by the limited proteolysis of prothrombin, holds a central position that links the intrinsic and extrinsic activation mechanisms in the final common pathway of blood coagulation. The generation of thrombin, the final serine protease in the pathway to generate a fibrin clot, from its precursor is amplified by formation of prothrombinase complex (factor Xa, factor V, Ca2+ and phospholipid). Since it is calculated that one molecule of factor Xa can generate 138 molecules of thrombin (Elodi, S., Varadi, K.: Optimization of conditions for the catalytic effect of the factor IXa-factor VIII Complex: Probable role of the complex in the amplification of blood coagulation. Thromb. Res. 1979, 15, 617–629), inhibition of factor Xa may be more efficient than inactivation of thrombin in interrupting the blood coagulation system.
Therefore, efficacious and specific inhibitors of factor Xa are needed as potentially valuable therapeutic agents for the treatment of thromboembolic disorders. It is thus desirable to discover new factor Xa inhibitors. In addition, it is also desirable to find new compounds with improved pharmacological characteristics compared with known factor Xa inhibitors. For example, it is preferred to find new compounds with improved factor Xa inhibitory activity and selectivity for factor Xa versus other serine proteases (i.e., trypsin). It is also desirable and preferable to find compounds with advantageous and improved characteristics in one or more of the following categories, but are not limited to: (a) pharmaceutical properties (e.g., solubility, permeability, and amenability to sustained release formulations); (b) dosage requirements (e.g., lower dosages and/or once-daily dosing); (c) factors which decrease blood concentration peak-to-trough characteristics (e.g., clearance and/or volume of distribution); (d) factors that increase the concentration of active drug at the receptor (e.g., protein binding, volume of distribution); (e) factors that decrease the liability for clinical drug—drug interactions (e.g., cytochrome P450 enzyme inhibition or induction); (f) factors that decrease the potential for adverse side-effects (e.g., pharmacological selectivity beyond serine proteases, potential chemical or metabolic reactivity, and limited CNS penetration); and, (g) factors that improve manufacturing costs or feasibility (e.g., difficulty of synthesis, number of chiral centers, chemical stability, and ease of handling).